Wednesday = (p)hump day ✅

Bench, rows, dips and triceps ✨ ...

🚨 Attention Coaches 🚨

Just over 2 weeks until Jane is back!

All 3 ergs are becoming a staple in most gyms now but there is still a huge discrepancy in the standard of what is being coached on each of these machines.

As a coach or a gym owner it is tempting to invest all of your money into the latest bit of equipment or fancy lighting in an aim to compete with all of the boujie gyms popping up all over the place but the real value comes in the level of your coaching. This is an area where you can always have an advantage over most gyms and in my humble priority should be the first area when looking to make improvements and investments.

Jane has a wealth of experience and is genuinely world class. This seminar weekend is an excellent opportunity to learn from such a source and also have any questions answered around the ergs in terms of technique and how to program workouts effectively on them.

I am in my 20th year coaching now and for the first ten of those years, I literally had to travel to the likes of America and Australia to gain comparable certifications and knowledge. This is an excellent opportunity on your doorstep and a chance to level up and set yourself apart from every other cardio studio that is cropping up all over the country.

Link is in our bio to sign up.

Also, I gain zero monetary profit from this so there is no vested interest on my side, it is a great opportunity to raise the standard of coaching here and just something I am happy to help with.

Jane is also hosting other workshops in Dublin and Bray around the same time if Harold’s Cross is not for you - you can get more info on her instagram page , @jane.erbacher ...

Wednesday is Bench Day! Unless you missed Monday, then it’s Squats…

We are in the middle of our strength block, the focus is on 5 x 3 reps on the main lift this week, at around 85% of a 1 rep max…

As we have been seeing, percentages could be upped slightly for women.

A nice change of pace to the hypertrophy block, with both styles of training complementing each other nicely 👌🏻 ...

Just under a month until we host @jane.erbacher for the 4th time!

There are more and more gyms using the ergs as a large part of their training (if not their entire training) and there are numerous coaches still teaching them as an afterthought, putting the damper setting at 10, jumping on and pulling like crazy.

Learn to use AND coach these machines safely, efficiently and effectively.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn and increase your knowledge and performance on all 3 ergs.

Go beyond the standard approach of learning from a youtube video or an instagram reel, immerse yourself in the details and level up in a fun and supportive environment with like-minded individuals and learn from a world renowned coach.

Link in the bio to sign up.

Invest in yourself - whether you are a coach or just looking to get the most out of your workouts.

10th & 11th June, @sdscgym ...

How many lads does it take to do a deadlift? 🤔

The boys doing their best impression of the city council doing road works… 🚧 🤣 ...

@jane.erbacher is back next month for her Erg Army course!

Erg Army Fundamentals - Saturday June 10th: 10am - 2pm

Erg Army Certification - Sunday June 11th: 10am - 3.30pm

So the big question, is it for me?

This is for you if:

• You want to make sure you’re using the Ergs correctly so you won’t get injured from
them,

• You don’t want to hold others up in partner/team workouts that involve the Ergs,

• You want to get faster on the Ergs without it making your lungs burn,

• You want to stand up after a row sprint rather than roll off.

The Fundamentals course covers:
• Rower + SkiErg + BikeErg Set up and movement efficiency,

• Where to set your damper so you can maximise your effort and minimise soul destruction,

• How to move your body when you Erg to prevent injury, pain and dysfunction and optimise strength, power and fitness gains.

In other words, this course is the a, b, c’s. The 1, 2, 3s. The walk before you can run. The foundation of all growth and betterment.

But this doesn’t mean it’s boring or elementary. Jane runs these seminars world-wide because they are world-class and we promise you this will be one of the most beneficial and memorable ways to spend your Saturday and Sunday morning!

Link in our bio! ...

Knowing I would be in the gym for 8 hours today, I managed to plan ahead (it doesn’t happen all the time).

This stuff is really very simple but it rarely happens by chance or by just winging it…

Not pictured is the eggs and Turkey rashers for breakfast but this is most of the rest.

I’ll have a couple of coffees, refill the water and most likely get my standard snickers ice cream cause it’s Friday.

There’s chicken stir fry and rice (I made extra when cooking dinner last night), overnight oats that I’ll have with the banana a couple of hours out from my rowing workout this evening. An orange to throw at a cyclist while in traffic and some whey protein.

If you’re asking what brand is best, you’re missing the point. Probably one that isn’t extortionate in price, doesn’t have too much sugar or make you fart.

Also note the oats - 3 scoops of flahavans (made on water). I’m an 82kg male, you don’t need to fill the Tupperware container.

Not exactly extravagant but it gets the job done. Nutrition for the most part takes a small bit of planning, the hardest part is the ‘doing’ - but treat it with similar importance to your workouts.

I knew I would be busy today and planned accordingly. Eating on the go is not only sub optimal, it’s getting more expensive 🤷🏼‍♂️ ...

@jane.erbacher and her ERG ARMY will be taking over SDSC on Saturday and Sunday
10th and 11th June for seminars on the Rowers, Skiergs and BikeErgs.

At SDSC we use the @concept2inc equipment ALL the time and take pride in our members doing things right, so it’s fitting that we have the world ERG-spert coaching here with us. (Jane came up with that, not me 👀)

So if you’re motivated to get fitter, stronger, more efficient and more durable across the board in your training, and you’re eager to spend time with some pretty epic people, then block out June 10th and 11th to up your Erg game.

Pre-sale WAITLIST is now open: www.ergarmy.com/upcoming-events/ or follow the link in
our bio!

Let’s go! 🔥 ...

Today is the start of a 5 week strength block.

The previous block was a hypertrophy focus and this was the first time we leaned into the higher rep sets. Thankfully we are back to more familiar territory of lower rep sets!

This block will be characterised by less repetitions performed at higher percentages of a 1 rep max. Over the next 5 weeks, the main lifts will see a reduction in the reps performed (volume) and an increase in the percentages (intensity).

More advanced members will be building up to a 1 RM attempt at the end of this block whereas newer members will be looking at slightly more volume and modest progressions that will set the foundation for future attempts at a new 1 RM.

The goal for the next few weeks will be to see increases in weight in either 1 , 3 or 5 RMs 🎯 ...

We have just about finished our deload week now - sandwiched between a hypertrophy block and a strength block.

The last 6 weeks has been tough on folks that have managed to complete the previous block in its entirety.

The increase in volume has been noticeable - especially in the lower body exercises. So this week has seen a welcome drop in intensity and volume.

This decrease will allow the body (and mind) to recover and allow the befits of the hypertrophy block to manifest, setting the foundation for the next strength cycle.

For some folks - especially those that have been erratic in their attendance for the last block, it is tempting to try to make up for lost ground and look to push beyond the recommended intensities for this week…

This is a strategy doomed to frustration and plateaus. If this plan of action has failed to lead to sustained progress in the past, it definitely won’t happen now. Instead, the week should be used to build consistency in movement and attendance and get ready for the next block of training.

One other thing worth mentioning too is that this week is a great opportunity to reinforce correct movement patterns.

It is tempting to just go through the motions but this time should be used to program perfect range of movement. We revert back to what we have done the most in times of stress - and if we have spent the majority of our time taking short cuts in our movement, we will revert to this when things start to get heavy again. Don’t do this, treat those reps at 60% as if they are 100%.

Make excellent technique your fall back and absolute minimal standard set for yourself. ...

Dave’s fight got called off last week as his opponent got injured.

There were a few days of uncertainty as the promotors scrambled to look for a replacement.

On the off chance there was one, Dave continued to get started on the difficult weight cut process, which at the best of times would require mental toughness but particularly when there is no specific opponent to get ready for.

Trying to remain disciplined in uncertainty is par for the course for a fighter but a useful (and difficult) skill for anyone to develop.

Unfortunately as it got closer to Saturday, the promoter confirmed there would be no fight so we knocked the weight cut on the head.

This is one of the unfortunate scenarios of the fight game - 8 weeks of specific preparation and putting body and mind through highly stressful situations only to have to postpone the opportunity to display the fruits of labour.

It was not wasted effort by any means and it was another opportunity to refine the process and add more layers of preparation and feedback for the next one.

Dave showed plenty of motivation, consistency and dedication over the past few weeks and the process will allow him to understand his own body better and sharpen the sword for the next one ⚔️ 🥊 ...

Curls for the girls 💪🏻

The new hypertrophy block is going down a treat.

Apart from the squat day 🥵 ...